Hi
kwsher , I've mostly been using creams because they gave me fewer skin problems when I was starting out. My go-to is the Nivea Sensitive Skin cream, which gives as good a shave as anything I've tried with never a hint of irritation. I've tried Proraso (red--my favorite scent, but I find it works best when used brushless), TOBS (don't like the scents), Cyril Salter Vetiver (works great, love the scent, but it gives my cheeks a mild burn), and I've been going through a set of samples from Stone Cottage Soapworks (also work very well, but I've found most of the scents a bit cloying).
I've started getting back into soaps recently & it seems that the other changes I've made have fixed most of the problems I had to begin with. I've got a tub of Italian Barber Sandalwood that I really like (I prefer earthy, woody, naturalistic scents, does it show?).
The one brand of soap that I really can't use is Stirling, which is a shame as it's great stuff and Ozark Mountain was another favorite scent. But it makes my face break out.